2010 : the possibilities for the body odor and halitosis community this year

So with a review of the year already posted, it is time to look to the future year, and the possibilities for the body odor and halitosis community. Of course the big change over the last decade has been the internet, which almost makes anything possible. Together we can harnass the power of the internet to progress in the sphere of body odor and halitosis which has probably been a curse on humanity since the beginning of time (apparently the FMO3 enzyme along with the other detox enzymes would have been part of us when we were a primordial soup).

With the potential of the internet, anything would seem possible in the search for cures. Also over the next decade, Gene Therapy is going to play a miraculous role in genetic disorders. The main question about a systemic body odor such as trimethylaminuria is ... has anyone seriously done anything to solve it ? The answer would be no. Partly because it is seen as a rarity, and partly because anyone who has had an interest in the subject probably only had a passing interest, and it has never really been of primary interest except at momentous moments (such as the ability to discover genes over the last decades).

MeBO Research & The blog : MeBO hopes to be like a 'SWAT' team, either promoting small research itself or promoting research elsewhere, as well as coming up with ideas for campaigns etc. It hopes to be self-prophesising, in that the aims naturally develop due to momentum. The blog will continue to be a presence on the internet, raising awareness and acting as a contact point.

The community : With the founding of bodyodorsupport.com, there is now a fixed official presence on the internet for the community. Hopefully it will be a place where ideas can be discussed, such as campaigns and petitions or whatever, for instance to influence poiticians. Meetups are also gathering pace, and this March there will be an attempt to hold a structured Body Odor and halitosis conference in Nashville. Experts will be contacted to see if they would do lectures over the internet, but if no expert helps, then it will be a big fun meetup. Perhaps someday the community could have a politician 'patron'. Some will be surprised to realise that this January will be the 2nd anniversary of the Conference Calls, begun by Cabel Hall in 2007. It is incredible to think that this lifeline is turning 2.

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And days long gone

For old long ago, my dear,
For old long gone,
We'll drink a cup of kindness yet,
For old long gone

And so what is possible over the next year ?

Research : Hopefully some inroads can be made into research of body odor and halitosis. Particularly systemic body odor and halitosis, which are currently not accepted or widely known about. Probably an ideal goal would be an International Body Odor and Halitosis Research Center and clinic, since this would encompass all forms of B.O. and halitosis, and the researchers would then discover many are systemic. MeBO will continue small unofficial trials, in order to provide evidence and also to look for patterns.

NORD TMAU Fund : With the backing of rrr-tmau.org, there is the real possibility that the NORD TMAU Fund could reach its target of $35K this year. It is unclear how the research is implemented, but it seems that reaching the $35K means NORD put out requests for proposals and also that millions of $ may then be available to the researchers.

And so as the year draws to a close and a new decade begins, we can at least say there has never been a better time to have body odor and halitosis!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!

Nashville 2010 Meet-up : YOU CAN BOOK YOUR SUITE

USA Body Odor & Halitosis get together
Embassy Suites
Nashville Airport Hotel
19th, 20th, 21st March 2010

Nashville: Have you booked ?

The time has come, and we can finally book our suite for our Nashville 2010 Body Odor and Halitosis Meet-Up at the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport Hotel to be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 20th and 21st, 2010. The hotel has guaranteed us a rate of $99/night for the 19th, 20th and 21st of March, and may also extend the rate (subject to availability) for 2 days earlier and/or 2 days later if you book early enough. Bookings can be done online or over the phone, but extensions are offered only over the phone.

Special Accounts: MEBO Research

Booking Group/Convention Code: MBR

I have verified with the Sales Manager that no funds will be held on your credit card when using it to guarantee your booking. Embassy Suites will only use your credit card to confirmed your reservation. You do not have to pay, your credit card will not be charged, until you check-out after your stay, and there is no cancellation fee up to 6:00pm on the first day of your stay.

Booking options:

1. ONLINE RESERVATIONS: for the $99/night rates

Availability dates: anytime between 19MAR2010 and 22MAR2010
Smoking or Non-Smoking
King or Two Beds (double beds), or No Preference

Special Accounts: Group/Convention Code: MBR

2. PHONE RESERVATIONS: In you wish to reserve for the $99/night rate two days before or two days after subject to availability, you need to call Reservations at, 1-615-871-0033 or 1-800-HILTONS (1-800-445-8667)

Please see the following posts for more specific details about this meetup and accommodations.

Rates per Suite (Single and Double Rate)
King bed Non Smoking Suite $99/night
Two Double Bed Non Smoking Suite $99/night
Governors Suites Non Smoking Suite $150

Room rates are quoted net non commissionable and exclusive of local taxes and fees.

Quoted rates will be offered, based on availability, to meetup attendees 2 days before and 2 days after the above dates.

Room rates include : complimentary daily full breakfast per person, and complimentary daily 2-hour Manager’s Reception in the evenings with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, and complimentary airport shuttle.

If you need assistance in transportation to the meet-up from your home, such as looking for anyone interested in carpooling, or in getting good air fares, please send me an email.

I do hope you can join us! It will be a very worthwhile and meaningful experience for us all! See you there.

María de la Torre

2009 : reflecting on another year of international body odor and halitosis

Another year draws to an end, and so a look back at the year in terms of body odor and halitosis seems appropriate. On the minus side, perhaps the 'big breakthrough' in terms of body odor research or awareness did not happen, but nonetheless small and significant 'baby steps' were made. This is a quick summary of the year in terms of body odor and halitosis :

This blog and MeBO Research:
The blog reached it's first anniversary in July, and now has been here for the community for 18 months. Aiming to be a platform on the internet so that anyone can find it, whether sufferers or researchers. It included interviews with Nigel Manning (UK TMAU tester), Mark Howard (Biolab), and Cass Nelson Dooley (Metametrix).

Founding of MeBO Research : MeBO Research also came into being as a company in February, with the aim of becoming a charity that stimulates or promotes research into systemic body odors and halitosis, as well as raising awareness of these problems. Research/patient advocacy/campaigner rolled into one. The website started in July and already is having some impact. With the help of Biolab Medical Unit in London, a small study got underway testing 4 areas of gut dysbiosis in body odor and halitosis sufferers who were willing to pay their own costs. Currently 4 results have been received, with 1 more due in the next week or two. Another 2 are interested in testing. The study has a provisional target of 20 testers and then will move on to another area of testing, such as the detox system or metabolism etc.

Community progress :
Bodyodorsupport.com : The closing of the old MSN forum which had served as an accidental online home for those with body odor since the start of the internet would have normally created a vacuum in the group. However thanks to Arun and a number of other helpers, the body odor community got it's own permanent 'home' on the internet in the form of the privately owned Bodyodorsupport.com forum in January. Already there are over 1,500 members.

Australia Treimthylaminuria Foundation & TMAUcure forum: The Australian Trimethylaminuria Foundation, founded by Rob Brown, came to fruition and began it's Yahoo TMAu forum. The ATF is closely associated with Dr Christodoulou's TMAU research proposal, however funding is still to be found. They also started a TMAU store where people can buy all sorts of things and the ATF will get a small % of the sales.

TMAU.org.uk: 2009 also saw the beginning of odor websites elswhere on the net. A mention goes to bigverns TMAU.org.co.uk website and forum, which provides a resource for British TMAU sufferers. The website had a number of scoops including an interview with Dr Robin Lachmann, and was contacted by media outlets.

Meetups : The annual September and Christmas London body odor and halitosis Meetups, with around 20 attending the Thames Festival meetup this year. There was also a meetup in Chicago and Los Angeles.

rrr-tmau.org : Cheryl Marshall appeared on an episode of Mystery Diagnosis in March, about her TMAU story. Cheryl, along with a few sufferers, then arranged a website to help raise funds for the NORD TMAU Fund, with a few people pledging to donate $1K over the year.

Official Research :
Sadly there didn't seem to be any official research this year, demonstrating to the community how they are on their own and need to make change happen. There was a proposal by Dr John Christodoulou and the ATF in Australia, but funds still need to be found for this. MeBO did start it's small study into various areas of gut dysbiosis, and hopes to investigate other areas in the future, such as detox enyzme function and other markers.

Overall it was not a big year for progress in body odor and halitosis research and awareness, but steps were made and the community is learning how to empower themselves especially through the potential of the internet.

Haloscan comment system closing down

The comment system we use for the blog, Haloscan, is closing down on the 30th December. We have exported all the comments and hope to import them into the new comment system we will use, the default system in blogger. Haloscan was never a perfect choice, but was chosen for (perceived) privacy concerns. Thank you to everyone who has posted a comment and we hope the transition to the default system goes smoothly.

Update : the blogger default comment system is now in place and seems to be functioning correctly. People can post anonymously, although all posts will be premoderated so as to avoid spam and any offence (since it's such a sensitive subject). Previously it wasn't possible to premoderate blogger comments, which is a main reason Haloscan was originally chosen.

Merry Christmas 2009

MERRY
CHRISTMAS

May this Holiday Season bring you many simple
yet memorable moments to cherish forever.

From my family to yours - Love to all!

María

Nashville 2010 Meet-up : Hotel accommodations contract signed

We have come to a very good agreement with the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport Hotel to hold our Nashville Meet-up on Saturday and Sunday, 20th & 21st March 2010. The rooms are blocked for us as noted below for $99/night on the 19th - 21st March; in addition, anyone interested in getting the same rate 2 days prior and/or 2 days after (from 17 March thru 23 March) can do so subject to availability, as long as it is booked by February 28, 2010.

Due to the holiday period, the final arrangements to book your hotel stay have been delayed. However, the Sales Manager tells me that since the contract between MeBO and the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport Hotel agreeing to the terms below has been signed, we should be able to begin booking our individual suites as of Monday afternoon.

Please do not book until the beginning of next week when I have posted the booking process post.

See other posts in this blog about the Nashville 2010 Meetup.

Here is what MeBO Research and the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport have agreed upon for our meetup.

DATES BLOCKED FOR MEBO:
Fri 19MAR10, Sat 20MAR10, and Sun 21MAR10

King bed Non Smoking Suite 5 Suites per day
Two Double Bed Non Smoking Suite 15 Suites per day
Governors Suites Non Smoking Suite 1 per day

Rates per Suite (Single and Double Rate)
King bed Non Smoking Suite $99/night
Two Double Bed Non Smoking Suite $99
Governors Suites Non Smoking Suite $150

***TOTAL ROOM BLOCK RESERVED: 63***

Room rates are quoted net non commissionable and exclusive of local taxes and fees.

Quoted rates will be offered, based on availability, to meetup attendees 2 days before and 2 days after the above dates.

Room rates include : complimentary daily full breakfast per person, and complimentary daily 2-hour Manager’s Reception in the evenings with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks, and complimentary airport shuttle.

Each 2 room suite features a parlor with a sofa bed (double bed), a king or 2 double bed room, wet bar, bathroom, marble vanity and sink in bedroom, 2 TVs (one in bedroom and parlor), and more. Each king size bed suite can accommodate up to 4 people using the double bed size sofa bed, and up to 6 people in 2 double beds and sofa bed.

Meetings will be held in Governor’s Suite.

No one has to pay anything in advance for the rooms, though we may need to raise funds from the attendees to cover lunch catering and the use of the Governor's Suite to meet. This may be approximately $10-$25/day (Saturday and Sunday only)? We have yet to negotiate rates with the caterers, so more information will be forthcoming regarding this.

Each person reserves his/her suite guaranteeing suite/rate with a credit card, though your card will not be billed until you check out after your stay. No penalties apply for cancellations per suite up to until 6:00pm on the day reserved for check-in. And in that case, the credit card used to reserve and guarantee the room will be charged one night's stay. MeBO will not be responsible for this fee.

According to the terms of the contract, twenty one suites will be blocked for the meetup until 28FEB10. Reservations are to be made by individuals no later than Friday, February 28, 2010. After that date, the suites not reserved by the meetup attendees will be released by Embassy Suites for their general sales. Then anyone who wishes to book for the meetup after February 28th will be subject to availability and to current rates.

I will guarantee the Governor's Suite with my credit card. Since members will be welcome to get together in this room between 12:00 noon and 5:00pm, I will be staying in this room as opposed to renting a regular suite for $99.00. Therefore, the remaining $50/day (Saturday and Sunday only) and lunch catering cost can be covered with a predetermined donation (to be calculated after consulting with the caterers) from each member attending. Currently it is planned that two members who are flying in from London to share in this meet-up with us will also share this room with me.

We will meet in the Governor's Suite from 12:00noon through 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday, since the full complimentary breakfast will be served until 10:00am, and the Manager's Reception is from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Hotel Atrium. However, if the group prefers, we can go sight-seeing on Sunday at any time. We can arrange in advance catering for lunch during the meetup.

Some of our international members who could not attend have requested that we set up a audio/video conference while we meet in the Governor's Suite, perhaps for a limited time only especially during interesting discussions, in order that they may also participate. Since some of us may not wish to come out on camera, we can point the webcam in a direction where only those who do wish to be visible (if anyone does) can do so, and others would not. Those of us who do not wish to be seen or heard would stand away from the webcam and further away from the microphone. If anyone objects to this, please let me know, and we will do all possible to accommodate. Photography will be limited to sights and out of respect for others, NO MEMBER MAY BE PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT HIS OR HER PERMISSION.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting and sharing special moments with each one. I see that 14 people have taken the poll and said they would be attending, and many have emailed me expressing interest as well. If you have not done so yet and are planning on attending, please indicate it in the poll below. I think it's going to be a very memorable experience for us all!

It would be very helpful if anyone interested in attending would participate in the polls below to give us an idea of how many will be attending in order for us to qualify for the best group rates.

Nashville meetup 2010 : are you interested in attending ?

Accomodation preference

Avery Gilbert video (sensory psychologist)

This is a video from the youtube channel 'Katie Puckrik Smells'. Katie is a perfume enthusiast who makes short videos about anything to do with perfume. In this video she interviews the sensory psychologist Avery Gilbert. Avery is an olfaction expert and does research into surface body odors (such as armpit body odor). In the video, they discuss perfumes, pheremones, why people smell jasmine differently, adaptation (how the smell receptors desensitise to regular smells), and armpit odor.

Links :
Avery Gilbert website
Avery Gilbert blog

Tester #4 results: MeBO-Biolab Gut Dysbiosis Study

	Tester 4
Male	Mid 30's
Odor problem:	Systemic body odor for over 10 years. Feels he has rectal odor
Gut problems	Bloating, Diarrhea, Gas, Undigested food in stools, Pale coloured stools
Other problems	Psoriasis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Trimethylaminuria	not tested
Results :	Tester 4
Gut Fermentation	Normal for ethanol (yeast). 2 methyl 1 proponal is raised but no comment is made by the laboratory
Gut permeability	highly raised for medium sized molecules, implying 'leaky gut'
Indicans	Negative
D-lactate	2 (normal is below 60)

The results are back for our 4th tester in the MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study. A male in his mid 30s who has had his odor problem for over 10 years. He feel it is systemic but writes that he also suffer from rectal odor. He has a number of other health problems such as gut issues, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) as well as psoriasis.

The results came back mostly normal apart from the gut permeability test, which was extremely 'over-absorbing' around the mid-range of the molecules taken, meaning leaky gut.

Tests done:
Gut fermentation test £46
Gut permeability test £75
Indicans urine test £13
D-lactate blood test £12

MeBO Research-Biolab body odor gut dysbiosis study
The study is using 4 tests from Biolabs range of tests to look at various areas of gut dysbiosis in those with systemic body odor (mainly fecal body odor) or systemic halitosis. Since MeBO is new and has little funds, each tester has to pay for the tests. Those overseas can also participate providing they can return the samples within 48 hours of collection. The application survey is here : MeBO-Biolab body odor gut dysbiosis study form

Donate to MeBO Research

What MeBO is doing

Raised: £530/$862
Contribution to Study: £125/$203
Current balance: £405/$658
updated 11Dec09

About MeBO Research : MeBO Research is a recently started patient-advocacy group looking to stimulate research and help into systemic body odors and systemic halitosis in any way possible. It aims to become a charity when funds allow.

dogs sniff diabetics

TMAU sensor option:
Electronic nose
TMA urine paper
Trained pet

One of the most frustrating factors of systemic body odors is that normally neither the sufferer nor 'loved ones' can smell the person, and presumably most with the syndrome are transient sufferers (otherwise doctors wouldn't think you were crazy). It has been speculated here before about the ways that the community could come up with a 'detector' they could use to monitor their problem. The 2 main options probably come down to an electronic nose (the ideal solution) or a 'trained pet'. Electronic noses may be not be yet up to a standard for this problem (or at least, no-one is making one for systemic body odors). Regarding a trained pet, it is known that dogs are being trained to detect cancers and diabetes, so it would seem possible that a pet could be trained for trimethylaminuria.

This article gives the background of the work at the Cancer and Bio-Detection Dogs research center in Aylesbury, southern England are training dogs to detect cancers and diabetes (and presumably other bio disorders as funds improve). Presumably such work is going on in other places too. Probably for TMAU, a cat would be best (a barking dog would not seem a good way to tell a patient they are smelling).

Dogs trained to sniff diabetes

Can eating garlic or curry for a week make you smell ?

In this item from a show called 'The Food Detective', they do a basic study into whether eating garlic or curry for a week can make someone smell. The 'eaters' have been eating their appointed foods all week ... those wearing green had garlic, those in red had curry. A blindfolded person acts as the 'sniffer'. And it seems that such foods can make someone smell of the pungent foods, proving the principle that humans can have unmetabolized odorous compounds circulating in their system and ending up coming out through (for example) the skin or breath. The reason is probably saturation, whether they have ate too much of the food, or have too little of the enzyme to deodorize it. The presenter also explains why the breath can also smell of such systemic odors as well. But can the sniffer get every trialist correct ? Watch and see.

People overseas can do the MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis trial if the samples are returned within 48 hours of collection

The 4 tests :
Indicans urine test
D-lactate blood test
Gut fermentation test
Gut permeability test
Total : £146
£5 shipping overseas

The MeBO-Biolab gut dysbiosis study has been enthusiastically received by the volunteers, despite having to pay their own costs, showing the appetite in the community for action in the form of test results, looking for clues into the various systemic body odor and halitosis conditions (especially 'fecal body odor', which is probably the main form of body odor). A request was made from overseas asking to participate in the study, and when Biolab was asked, we were informed that overseas volunteers can apply if they wish, for an extra £5 surcharge in shipping the test kit to them, under the provision that the samples can be returned within 48 hours of being collected. However, since blood is involved in the basic 4-test panel, there are additional obstacles to overcome.

1. The volunteer would be responsible for shipping the sample to Biolab, and in order to get it back within 48 hours of collection, this could be costly. The obvious reputable options are FedEx, UPS, etc, and there are 3rd parties who sell these same companies’ slots cheaper. In addition, since one of the samples is blood, there may be further precautionary measures required before these companies would handle the parcel. This could be testing the blood to be classified as non-contagious for infections diseases.

2. It might be difficult to get the 4 samples together for shipping logistically. The D-lactate sample is expected to spoil after 48 hours, but the other urine samples should be ok within 5 days. For anyone who cannot fulfill the 48 hour rule, he or she may ship all but the D-lactate test within 5 days of collection.

In the end it is up to each person if it is worthwhile, under the caution that samples may be spoilt. Probably those in Europe should be near enough, and perhaps USA too. You would also need to find a phlebotomist to take the blood sample.

It should also be noted that these tests are only a starting point in the area of testing for answers to the causes of the various body odor conditions, and that the results do not necessarily indicate the cause of the odor problem. Since no-one is researching systemic body odors, this is a first attempt to look for clues into systemic body odor using a 'self-help' strategy.

Anyone wishing to test is welcome to fill out the survey and thus request the test kit, which would then be shipped to them. A £5.00 international shipping fee will be added to the total charges by Biolab. Credit card payment is the most convenient form and is expected to accompany the samples by adding the credit card details with the Biolab’s invoice.

Conference Call : Main topic of discussion - Nashville Meetup

JOURNEY TO THE NASHVILLE MEETUP 20th & 21st MARCH 2010

Please join us in tomorrow’s Conference Call so that we can discuss our first annual Body Odor and Halitosis 2010 Meetup. We need to discuss what catering services we would like to look for to best serve our needs as well as the topics of conversations we would like to bring up so as to research them in advance.

As I have diligently been work toward getting the best deal with hotel accommodations in Nashville, and I believe that we have come to a very good agreement with the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport hotel. See that previous video post I’ve done on these accommodations. Since there is a basketball game that has filled up all the lower rates for the weekend of March 13th & 14th, we’ve had to change our meetup date to the weekend of March 20th and 21st. Here’s a brief outline description of what has been agreed upon. The Sales Manager of this Hilton Hotel is currently in the process of putting this information in their Reservations System so that we can call to book our suite.

1. A corporate rate that can be booked under MeBO Research of $99.00/night for a 2 room suite (a parlor, room, wet bar, bathroom, and much more) that could accommodate up to 4 people in a king size bed and sofa bed, and up to 6 people in 2 double beds and sofa bed).
2. Daily full breakfast per person, and daily 2-hour Manager’s Reception in the evenings with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.
3. Can guarantee reservations (once booking process is finalized) with credit card, but will not be charged until check-out, and can cancel reservations up to 6:00p.m., on the day of arrival without a cancellation fee.
4. One of the suites can be the Governor’s Suite for us to meet in,

which has a conference table and living room area for only $55 more a day, so we can collect $10/day per person to cover this expense as well as the lunch catering expenses. (subject to change – to be discussed on the conference call) If the group becomes too large, we might have to opt for a conference room for $150/day. We’ll see.
5. See all the amenities noted in the Embassy Suites Nashville-Airport website.

Additional information will be posted in the blog and forums as soon as the reservation process is set up – probably by Monday or Tuesday the latest.

We have much to discuss, so I hope to talk to everyone on tomorrow’s conference call.

María

MeBO-Biolab full case study : The tester #5 writes about the testing process

Our ‘full case study’ volunteer, tester#5, was tested at Biolab Medical Unit (UK) recently, and she has written us feedback about her experience there as noted below, and she has kindly shared the story of her testing process with the community.

She had the following exploratory test panel done thanks to the 25% discount offered by Biolab, £125 the MeBO paid thanks to donations received, and tester#4's contribution of £318. In total, the 10 tests performed cost £544. Our gratitude goes out to all who made this possible.

D-LACTATE IN SERUM £12
B VITAMINS PROFILE (B1 B2 B6) £46
GUT FERMENTATION TEST £44
GUT PERMEABILITY PROFILE £75
INDICANS £13
GUT FUNCTION PROFILE £77
AMINO ACID PROFILE £82
GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE £22
HAIR MINERAL PROFILE £33
London clinic ORGANIC ACID TEST £140

The tests chosen were limited to what was kindly on offer fom Biolab, and also by cost limitations. The tests should be seen as only a starting point, with many areas not covered by the testing and the results do not imply that they are responsible for the odor problem.

By doing this exploratory test panel, it is hoped that some of these results may guide us to further testing in certain areas. Whatever the results may be, they may be only part of the total picture, but hopefully lead us in the right direction toward discovering the total picture by obtaining answers in a scientific manner.

The clinic was really easy to find and the staff were friendly and welcoming. The nurse who did all of my tests that day was really lovely. I was at the clinic for four hours in total as the breath hydrogen test took three hours but the nurse made it very easy for me. She was really sensitive and sweet and I felt at ease with her. I'm always a bit nervous having my blood taken but I didn't feel a thing because she was so gentle. I usually have bruising afterwards when I go to the hospital but didn't get this at all. I think the nurse knew who had referred me and why I was there but she didn't question me about my condition at all which I was glad about. At the end she said she had enjoyed treating me and hoped I would get some answers and the help I need. She also explained everything to me really clearly and respectfully.

I was a bit nervous before I went but felt comfortable there and not awkward at all. It also helped that another tester arrived from our group who I had already met before at a meet up so the four hours didn't seem quite so long! The clinic has a large waiting room and a smaller area to sit in which is separate outside the nurses room. There was a steady stream of other people arriving for tests but no one made any comment about smells or reacted in anyway which I was glad about. Thanks for setting everything up for me Maria -- I really appreciate it and hope others take advantage of the testing too. There really is nothing to be worried about. It may seem a little expensive to some but I really think its worth it when I think about how much money I have wasted on useless tests and treatment that I really didn't need. At least these tests will give me some indication of what's happening with my body and we also have the benefit of a doctor to help interpret the results. Hopefully if enough people test we'll also be able to see some common patterns emerging which will help everyone in our community who doesn't have a clear diagnosis. If anyone is thinking about testing and has any questions please let them have my details so I can help.

Vacationing and partying on this 2009 holiday season : What to drink?

Just some information about festive drinking,
metabolic BO and halitosis, and intestinal microbiota…

Topics of discussion:
1. Aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme (ALDH)
2. Increased gut permeability
3. Choline- and betaine-defined diets
4. Sulfites and Wine
5. The ‘fruity drink’ and gut fermentation

1. Aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme : There is a drug called Antabuse that is sometimes used in treating alcoholism, which basically deactivates or depresses the metabolic enzyme, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH), to produce a bad reaction to alcohol. This enzyme deals with aldehydes, and in the case of alcohol, it deals with the resulting acetaldehyde (very toxic) to break it down to acetate (non-toxic). Alcohol is ethanol, and is usually detoxed in this way:

Ethanol (mildly toxic) > Acetaldehyde (very toxic) > Acetate (non-toxic)

Discussion : The question then is, does the intoxicated state produce the type of odor BO sufferers tend to have, or is it just the 'normal' smell of alcohol? Could there be other factors involved in conjunction with ALDH, or instead of ALDH, that produces strong BO? For additional discussion, see: Festive drinking and metabolic body odor : For those 'intolerant'.

2. Increased gut permeability : A study done by the Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology at Loyola University Medical School, Maywood, Illinois, indicated that only those alcoholics with leaky gut develop cirrhosis. See this 1999 PubMed paper: Leaky gut in alcoholic cirrhosis: a possible mechanism for alcohol-induced liver damage, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9934756.

Discussion : It would be interesting to see if the odor emitted by these persons with leaky gut who suffer from alcoholism is the same as the odor emitted by those who do not suffer from leaky gut. The study did not include this information. For additional discussion, see: Label : gut permeability.
-------------------------

...the cause of body odor produced by alcohol consumption may be based on personal trigger(s), such as choline, sulfites sensitivities, glucose in fruity drinks, and/or the alcohol itself.....3. 'Choline- and betaine-defined diets for use in clinical research and for the management of trmethylaminuria’, a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 104, Issue 12, Pages 1836-1845, http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0002822304015743, entitled, . As I noted in another post in this forum, Table 3 of this research consists of foods categorized by food group and level of choline and betaine content, and includes the following information:

WHITE WINE, 4oz/120g contains 6.180mg of choline and 0.180mg of betaine per serving.
LIGHT BEER, 12oz/360g, contains 25.416mg of choline and 25.092mg of betaine per serving. [
REGULAR BEER, 12oz/360g, contains 34.956mg of choline and 34.992mg of betaine per serving.

Discussion : If a person has TMAU and thus cannot metabolize TMA, then choline would be a factor when determining which alcoholic beverage to chose from (if any). But in addition to possibly having an ALDH deficiency, and/or an FMO3 deficiency that does not metabolize choline, what about also having allergies or sensitivities to sulfites? For additional discussion, see: Vacationing-and-partying-on-choline-and.html.

4. Sulfites and Wine : http://www.wineintro.com/glossary/s/sulfites.html.

Sulfites are a naturally occurring compound that nature uses to prevent microbial growth. They are found on grapes, onions, garlic, and on many other growing plants. No wine can ever be "sulfite free", since they come in with the grapes... Winemakers have been adding additional sulfites to wines for millenia...For people who have a sulfite sensitivity, the sulfites can lead to serious headaches. White wines have more sulfites than red wines, so this can be a way to determine if sulfites might be the problem. Sulfites, used improperly, can also give a rotten-egg smell to a wine.

Discussion : Unfortunately, this article only talks about a "rotten-egg smell to a wine", but not to humans...!!! Perhaps it is because BO sufferers have never united and organized the way we are doing now to become available for testing.

This article states that,

"White wines have more sulfites than red wines"; so, if BO is triggered by choline, then white wine would produce less odor, but if BO is triggered by sulfites, then red wines, especially young wines, would be the best option to minimize BO.

The author recommends "young wines" that have only the 'natural sulfites' without added sulfites. Nonetheless, "...a wine without added sulfites cannot last long, however. Usually 18 months is the longest a sulfite-free wine would survive. This includes the time the wine spent at the winery, at the wine shop as well as in your basement! So while no-sulfites-added is fine for "drink young" wines like Chardonnay, it would not be good for a "drink in a year" wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon."

5. The ‘fruity drinks’ and gut fermentation : The principle of the Gut Fermentation Test performed in the MeBO-Biolab Gut Dysbiosis Study is that yeast cells in the gut ferment glucose to alcohol, which then passes into the blood stream. This test follows the changes in blood alcohol concentrations following a glucose challenge. It tests for a number of alcohols and fatty acids that are regarded as metabolites of bacterial or fungal fermentation in the gut and/or small intestine.

The results of the first 3 testers (BO sufferers) in this study, show that 2 of the three have raised ethanol fermentation consistent with yeast overgrowth. Of the three tested, all three showed some malabsorption, or abnormal gut permeability (leaky gut). We are waiting for the results of two others who have already tested.

If a sufferer who has this type of gut dysbiosis drinks a sweet substance like a fruity or sugar-based drink, it will then be fermented by the yeast and/or bacterial overgrowth, and if he/she suffers from a leaky gut, it will permeate into the blood, and possibly produce greater odor, particularly if there is a xenobiotic enzymes (FMO3) deficiency. This is currently the topic of investigation in the MeBO-Biolab Study.

In conclusion, the cause of body odor produced by alcohol consumption may be based on personal trigger(s), such as choline, sulfites sensitivities, glucose in fruity drinks, and/or the alcohol itself. Perhaps the ideal conditions would be for all sufferers to have access to more diagnostic testing in all these areas, but since we currently do not, it all boils down to an individual trial-and-error solution.

It would be interesting to detect and identify the odor components of someone who has all of these conditions, ALDH DEFICIENCY, TMAU and other FMO3 deficiencies, LEAKY GUT, GUT DYSBIOSIS, AND SULFITE SENSITIVITY following a significant amount of alcohol consumption, as opposed to the odor component of a person who does not have these condition under the same circumstances.

Woman awarded $3 million damages for unfair dismissal including a body odor problem

A lady in California was awarded $20 million from her former employer for a number of reasons, including having panic attacks which she said the medication for it caused her to have an "embarrassing body odor". The court of appeal reduced the amount to $3 million. The body odor was only 1 aspect of the 'evidence' against her employer and supervisor, who she said made disparaging remarks despite "knowing" it was a "result of the medication". It doesn't seem to say what the odor smelt of. Possibly this is a precedent that body odor as a medical condition could have some employment law rights.

Short article on the Charlene Roby body odor dismissal case

Roby versus McKesson body odor case : full legal paper in pdf

...The Court of Appeal suggested that supervisor Schoener‟s demeaning
comments about Roby‟s body odor were necessary personnel management actions,
not acts of harassment, because Schoener needed to take action in response to the
complaints of other employees. (See Hannoon v. Fawn Eng’g Corp. (8th Cir.
2003) 324 F.3d 1041, 1047 [Title VII case].) Here, however, the evidence
supports the jury‟s conclusion that Schoener handled the matter in a way that was
unnecessarily demeaning, including reprimanding Roby in front of coworkers and
telling Roby “to take more showers.” It was the demeaning manner in which
Schoener addressed this issue that constituted the harassment...

London annual body odor & halitosis winter meetup : Leicester Square 12th Dec

Currently expected : 13
contact Jan at snoopy3932@yahoo.com
Arun's mobile is 07753 492 759

December is here and that means the annual London Body Odor & Halitosis Christmas Meetup is around the corner ... in Leicester Square.

The meetup will be hosted by Arun Nagrath as always, and will start at the AllBarOne bar in Leicester Square from 12 noon onwards. A great time was had by all at last years body odor & halitosis xmas meetup. Everyone is welcome.

London meetup 12 Dec : Are you going ?

If you would like to go you can contact Jan at snoopy3932@yahoo.com or contact Arun for information, and so that they can expect you and have an idea of the numbers, or just turn up on the day. Arun will have his mobile and can be contacted at 07753 492 759

Enjoy the company of others who know exactly how you feel and let the Christmas season begin on a happy note.

Nashville Body Odor and Halitosis Meet-up 20th-21st March 2010 (provisional arrangements)

ROAD TRIP TO
THE NASHVILLE MEETUP 2010

"...No, the meetup is not in Jackson. Johnny Cash and wife, June Carter sang that song at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville..."

DATE CHANGED TO 20TH AND 21ST MARCH 2010

For a few years now, Arun Nagrath has successfully hosted meetups in the UK, which over the years have grown in strength and numbers. Now it is time for the USA community to also experience the transformation that comes with the special bond created with a 'pilgrimage' to our meetups. From the East to the Western Hemispheres all are invited to experience with us our Southern style reunion with our first Annual Body Odor and Halitosis USA Meetup in Nashville, Tennessee, this March 2010. For the time being, it is scheduled for Saturday, March 13th and Sunday March 14th.

The hotel provisionally chosen is the Embassy Suites Nashville - Airport, for potential price reasons and location, (group rates still to be negotiated). The atrium is very big with a very high ceiling allowing for excellent ventilation and is full of ‘nooks’ (or sitting areas) that make for a great place to relax and meet as a group will have relative privacy in our discussions.

This Resort is an all-suite hotel featuring a 2 room suite with either 2 double-beds or 1 king bed, a marble vanity/sink, hair dryer, and TV in the bedroom, and a door separates the parlor/living room area which is has a sleeper sofa, two chairs, a wet bar area with coffee/tea maker and microwave, refrigerator, TV, and activity table, ironing board, and of course, a bathroom. This suite can accommodate three people very comfortably. Other amenities include an indoor swimming pool and heated whirlpool, as well as an onsite Fitness Center. There is high-speed internet access throughout the hotel and wireless internet access, a Business Center with complimentary internet, and a Meeting Room.

Depending on the number of persons attending, we intend to negotiate for a group rate that includes a complimentary cooked-to-order full breakfast each morning and a daily Manager’s Reception Cocktail to relax and unwind at the end of the day.

It would be very helpful if anyone interested in attending would participate in the polls below to give us an idea of how many will be attending in order for us to qualify for the best group rates.

Nashville meetup 2010 : are you interested in attending ?

Accomodation preference